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A review by kitkates213
City of a Thousand Gates by Rebecca Sacks
2.0
Interesting book and enjoyable in places, but overall it felt very stereotypical and imo the author goes off in too many tangents and adds too many characters who are all in conflict with one another unless they, begrudgingly, have to work together. I liked the concept - following multiple characters through their somewhat intersecting lives in and around Israel and Palestine. Assuming the author's geographical information and descriptions are correct and realistic, she offers insight into how Israelis and Palestinians co-exist in such close quarters while fighting, or fearing attacks, daily. While I enjoyed most of the relationships the author explores - their conflicting views, refusal to consider the others' perspectives and the conflicts that arise as a result of their interactions - I wish at least one or two characters had a different, less-vitriolic opinion of the other group.
The characters sound very black and white, a few of which inexplicably receive deeper examination and description such that they could practically have had their own books. Vera, the German journalist, I thought did not need so much detail. She feels like an outlier character who is there, presumably, to be the objective POV in the book. (I hoped her purpose was not simply to be a cliche white German living amongJews...but I couldn't be sure.). Her sexual fetishes and conquests and the descriptions of her past were unnecessarily graphic, lengthy and mostly distracting. Maybe the author had a motive but I found myself wondering what was the purpose for making the single, outsider, white female journalist sound so desperate, superficial and detached from anyone else? Emily's lengthy description of anal sex with her husband also felt curiously out of place. (I listened to the audiobook so I don't know how long it was on paper but I imagine it's multiple pages.). Young betrothed Rachel was another character who was shallow and offered nothing of real value to the story other than to be Vera's problem-child project.
I liked how spouses and siblings interacted through the book, and the conflict event toward the end had potential to change some characters' minds, but really nothing changed and everyone went back to their corners. This book ultimately reminded me of the movie "Crash" and how it explored prejudices, most notably how some people are uncapable of seeing beyond the stereotypes they were raised to believe.
The characters sound very black and white, a few of which inexplicably receive deeper examination and description such that they could practically have had their own books. Vera, the German journalist, I thought did not need so much detail. She feels like an outlier character who is there, presumably, to be the objective POV in the book. (I hoped her purpose was not simply to be a cliche white German living amongJews...but I couldn't be sure.). Her sexual fetishes and conquests and the descriptions of her past were unnecessarily graphic, lengthy and mostly distracting. Maybe the author had a motive but I found myself wondering what was the purpose for making the single, outsider, white female journalist sound so desperate, superficial and detached from anyone else? Emily's lengthy description of anal sex with her husband also felt curiously out of place. (I listened to the audiobook so I don't know how long it was on paper but I imagine it's multiple pages.). Young betrothed Rachel was another character who was shallow and offered nothing of real value to the story other than to be Vera's problem-child project.
I liked how spouses and siblings interacted through the book, and the conflict event toward the end had potential to change some characters' minds, but really nothing changed and everyone went back to their corners. This book ultimately reminded me of the movie "Crash" and how it explored prejudices, most notably how some people are uncapable of seeing beyond the stereotypes they were raised to believe.